7/30/2018

 One of the most important type of power

semiconductor device.
 Compared to transistors, thyristors have
lower on-state conduction losses and higher
power handling capability.
 However, they have worse switching
performances than transistors.

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 Have the highest power handling capability.

 It has a rating of 1200V / 1500A with
switching frequencies ranging from 1KHz to
20KHz.

 When the anode is at a positive potential VAK with

respect to the cathode with no voltage applied at the
gate, junctions J1 and J3 are forward biased, while
junction J2 is reverse biased. As J2 is reverse biased,
no conduction takes place.
 Now if VAK is increased beyond the breakdown
voltage VBO of the thyristor, avalanche breakdown of
J2 takes place and the thyristor starts conducting.
 If a positive potential VG is applied at the gate
terminal with respect to the cathode, the breakdown
of the junction J2 occurs at a lower value of VAK. By
selecting an appropriate value of VG, the thyristor can
be switched into the on state suddenly.

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 Forward breakdown voltage VBO

◦ The voltage of avalanche breakdown
 Latching current IL
◦ The minimum anode current required to maintain
the thyristor in the on-state immediately after it is
turned on and the gate signal has been removed
 Holding current IH
◦ The minimum anode current to maintain the
thyristor in the on-state IT
 IL > IH Forward volt-drop
(conducting)

Latching
current Forward
Gate
Reverse break-over
trigger
breakdow Holdin voltage
ed
n voltage g IL
current
IH
VBO VAK
Forward
Reverse leakage
leakage current
current

The thyristor is a four-layer, three terminal semiconducting

device, with each layer consisting of alternately N-type or P-type
material, for example P-N-P-N. The main terminals, labeled
anode and cathode, are across the full four layers, and the
control terminal, called the gate, is attached to p-type material
near to the cathode.

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 Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR).

 TRIAC.
 DIAC.
 Silicon Unilateral Switch (SUS) – has built in
low voltage avalanche diode

Construction of SUS

 Mainly used where high currents and voltages are

involved, and are often used to control alternating
currents, where the change of polarity of the
current causes the device to switch off
automatically; referred to as Zero Cross operation.

 Thyristors can be used as the control elements for

phase angle triggered controllers, also known as
phase fired controllers.

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 In power supplies for digital circuits, thyristor can

be used as a sort of "circuit breaker" or "crowbar"
to prevent a failure in the power supply from
damaging downstream components, by shorting
the power supply output to ground

Load voltage regulated by thyristor phase

control.
Red trace: load voltage
Blue trace: trigger signal.